Differential mechanism.



F. V. 'E'LBERTZ.

DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED nu'sLz. 19:6.

Patented Oct. 29, A918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I F. V.-ELBERTZ. DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM;

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2. I9I6.

1,282,782., v "rammed (m 29,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. V. ELBERTZ.

DIfFERENTiAL MECHANiSM. APPLICATION FILED AUG.2. 19x5.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3 m E Mud FRANK V. ELBERTZ, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. 29, ll ll Application filed August 2, 1916. Serial No. 112,696.

T 0 all whom it may concern: Be; it known that I, FRANK V. ELBERTZ, a CltlZQll'Of the United States of America, re-

siding at Detroit? in the county ot'WVayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Differential Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to diflerential gearing and to an arrangement thereof whereby a pair of shafts are driven in such manner as to compensate for different requirements of service by means which prevent either of them from turning at lower speed than the driving elements. The invention also in cludes means whereby the result is obtained without the use of the spiders, planetary pinions or beveled gears common in devices of this type. I

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth; and more particullarly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,"

Figure 1 is a view partially ,in longitudinal sectionand partially in elevation, and broken awayQof adevice embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a. View in transverse section taken on or aboutline IIII 0f Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a View in section taken on or about line III-J11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in end elevation of the outer lateral portion shown in Fig. 1. illustrating in detail one method of delivering power from the section of the differential shaft of the device, and

Fig. 5 is a view in longitudinal section partially broken away and in elevation. of a modification of the device. I

.As herein shown the device is illustrated in connection with the rear axle or traction axle drive mechanism of an automobile. although its useis not limited to such purposes. In the drawing. anappropriately formed and designed casing 1 houses, in part at least. a drive shaft 2 the beveled gear 3 of which meshes with an annular follower pinion l secured on a rotatable gear casing 5 which is appropriately journaled as bv anti-friction bearings 6 in stationary portions of arms 7 the casing 1. concentrically with the .oular extensions 7 of the casing 1 are a pair of oppositely disposed naves 8 of wheels. appropriate bearings 9 being provided for the ".e outer sameon the extremities 10 of the arms. The flange portion l1v of each hub interlocks with a head 12 of a companion section 13 of the differential shaft, the inner squared, splined or keyed portion ll of which nonrotatably engages in the hub'15 of a follower pinion 16. The latter is journaled cccentrL cally in a bushing 17 that is in turn rotatable concentrically in the casing An annular gear 18 of the internal type formed on or secured in the casing 5, is in mesh With the pinions 16. The end openings 19 of the casin 5 are such as to permit free revolution e the members 13 around their respective axes of rotation.

It is to be understood that the pinions 16 are sufliciently beveled or otherwise arranged to mesh with the gears 18. the whole being appropriately .secured. in place either by the abutment of the two gears or by other suitable provision. I

. As a result of this cOnSt-IUCtiOII any motion carried to the beveled pinion 4b the drive gear 3, is communicated throughthe internal annular gear equally to the shaft sections 13, so-that the latter drivethe hubs of the wheels at their outer ends at equal rates. If for any reason, as'for example in turning around a corner, it -is necessary that the outer wheel travel faster than the other. then the pinion 16 keyed or made fastto the particular section i 13 of the diiierential moves a head on the annular gear 18 a sufficient number of teeth to make up the increase'in motion required. ()i? course retrograde motion is impossible because of the arrangement of the parts.

If it is desired to shorten the length of the section 13 and give the outer portions rigid support so that they turn concentrically on their axes' without the angular disposition necessary in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to l, the arrangement shown in Fig. may be used. In this instance the casing 5 in the usual construction is replaced by the casing 20 in which a pair of ecccutrically aperturcd bushings 21 affords support for angularly disposed or obliquely arranged beveled pinions '22, the inner end portions of which mesh with the corresponding beveled gears 23 of the casing 20. while the eccentric shaft 25 of each gear 22 is arranged to non-rotatably and oscillatorily engage with the follower shaft sections 26. which are appropriately journalcd in the extended portions of the casing.

' mon in'jconventional differentials minimizes the device.

' j struot onmay.

As a result ofthis construction, a differentialmechanism is obtained which obviates "theus e of planetary pinions and of beveled gears of the acute or normal miter type,

' eliminates-enlarge number of parts and producesthe result of the inner or slower-moving snare always being positively driven, this result being obtained because the slower moving shaft cannot rotate at less than the rate ofspeed of, the; driving membe'r. Fur- .thermore the elimination of the parts comthevfriction"andincreases the efiiciency of changes in the details of con- I be made without departing fronrr the spirit of my invention and I ;do

" Obviously,

- notcare to limit myself toany. particular m 1 1- arrangement of parts.

3 ZWhat I claim iszing, adrive-shaft 'conoentrio thereto, a driven shaft havlng oppositely disposed sections oscillator in the casing transversely to the drive sha t andjournaled in the casing at a po nt remote from the drive shaft, a gear casing journaled in the main casing, gearing rotating the latter casing from 'the drive shaft, bushings rotatable 1n the gear casmg, anannular gear in the gear casing and pin- :ions each secured to the end portions of; a .difl'er'entia'l' drive shaft section journaled in ,[the bushings eccentrically with the axis of ".rotatable gear casing, means connecting the "rotation thereof, and meshing respectively 3 I with the annular gear.

2. 'Differentialgearing comprising a drive ha 3.. transversely disposed tot-he drive shaft, a

'drive shaft and gear casing to rotate the latter, an internal annular gear 1n the gear casing, bushings concentrically 1ournaled in the gear casing, pinions journaled in the bush- I ings eccentrlcally-with the axis of rotation thereof in mesh with the annular gear and secured'non-rotatably t0 the adjacent portion of the differential drive shaft sections,

and means for rotatably supporting the portions of. the drive shaft sections at points remote from the connection of the eccen ltrically'moving pinions. I

3. Differential gearing comprising an outer 4 Differential gearing comprising casdrivenshaft having two sectionscasing, a gear casing journaled therein, a differential follower shaft having journaled in the outer casing, bushings journaled concentrically in the gear casing, an annular internal gear in the gear casing concentric with the axis of revolution of the bushings,

pinions each journaled in a bushing eccentrically with the axis of rotation thereof, in

mesh with the internal annular gear, and secured non-'rotatably to the adjacent portions of the differential shaft sections and gearing for rotating the gear casing from a source of power.

i. Difierential gearing comprising an outer casing, a drive shaft, a differential shaft dis- 1 posed transversely'to. the drive shaft and formed of two separated sections the outer portions of which are rotatably supported in the outer casing, a gear casing journaled in the outer casing, gearing transmitting 'motion from-the drive shaft to the gear casing,

.an internal annular gear secured in the easthe drive shaft, an internal annular gear secured in the casing, bushings rotatably secured in the casing concentric with the wheel axis, and pinions journaled in the bushings in mesh with the annular gear and eccentric to the wheel axis and follower shaft sections secured at their outer extremities to the wheels respectively, and non-r0tatably secured at the inner end portions to the eccentric pinions.

In testimony whereof ,I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

a FRANK v. ELBERTZ. \Vitnesses:

ANNA M. Donn, CHAs. W. STAU'FFIGER. 

